Pope says he will not judge gay priests

Taking on one of the most divisive issues in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis on Monday said he would not judge gay priests for their sexual orientation.

“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Francis said, according to media reports during an 80-minute news conference with reporters on his plane while from a visit to Brazil for World Youth Day. “We shouldn’t marginalize people for this. They must be integrated into society.”

It was a remarkable conciliatory statement from the new pope, especially in the wake of comments made by his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who retired in February, and said in 2005 men with homosexual tendencies should not become priests.

The comments did not signal any change in church policy. Catholic teaching still holds that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” But his remarks indicated a shift in tone under Francis’ young papacy and an emphasis on a church that is more inclusive and merciful rather than critical and disciplinary.

According to the Associated Press, gay leaders were buoyed by Francis’ non-judgmental approach, saying changing the tone was progress in itself, although for some, the encouragement was tempered by Francis talk of gay clergy’s “sins.”

“Basically, I’m overjoyed at the news,” said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the U.S.-based New Ways Ministry, a group promoting justice and reconciliation for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people and the wider church community.

“For decades now, we’ve had nothing but negative comments about gay and lesbian people coming from the Vatican,” DeBernardo said in a telephone interview from Maryland.

The largest U.S. gay rights group, Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement to the AP that the pope’s remarks “reflect a hopeful change in tone.”

For Pastor Randy Phillips of St. Blase Parish in Sterling Heights, it was simply another example of the new pope’s “marvelous job of surprising us with a simple life that asks us to look at our own attitudes and lifestyles.”

“I think the pope is trying to promote the positive agenda of church. Human civil rights should be upheld,” Phillips said. “When we divide ourselves into camps, after a while, that’s all we see. We don’t really see or respect each other as people. That’s not helpful for dialogue or for the community.”

Since Francis became pope in March of this year, he has already become known for his simplicity and directness. Phillips said he is trying to lead not only with his words but also by example. He noted a story in which Francis had only been pope for a short time when he asked a Swiss guard who stood watch outside his bedroom door all night in the Vatican if he wanted a chair to sit down. The guard replied that it was his job to stand outside the door all night and that he might fall asleep if he sat down. Francis ordered him a chair anyway and asked him to breakfast. It was a small but simple gesture which seems to define the man.

“In the minds of the church, there is acceptance of homosexuals. We uphold their rights to be treated fairly and equally,” Phillips said. “I think the Catholic Church has been identified as being anti-gay because of its opposition to gay marriage. It’s one thing to oppose gay marriage; it’s another to be accepting of gay bashing.”

Phillips said the Catholic Church has become polarized in so many different ways. Proclamations like that of Pope Francis don’t change church policy but rather hopefully bring more people together to see each other as human beings, not what category they might fall under.

“We need to change how we look at each other. We may be conservative or ultra-conservative or liberal, but we are all still one body,” he said. “In the past election, people would unfriend people on Facebook because of the way they voted. How can we allow our politics to override our friendships? We need to take a step back and see each other as human beings. We need to try to alter our attitudes and ways of looking at people.”

Phillips didn’t think the pope’s message was intended to help reduce the shortage of priests in the church. The church has long been plagued by talk of homosexuality among priests. Some may think the pope’s comments were intended in some part be more welcoming of homosexuals considering the priesthood. Phillips also didn’t think the remarks were intended to bring more people to the church, whose ranks, like other churches, have been in decline.

But Phillips did think it was a message to parents or families struggling with the thoughts of homosexuals in their households. It’s a reminder not to ostracize a gay family member or undermine their involvement in the church.

While the Archdiocese of Detroit did not respond to a call for comments, Macomb Daily and Daily Tribune Facebook users chimed in on the topic.

“I think it’s wonderful. People are people,” said Sara Russo Murray. “Frankly, I’m more apt to go back to the Church now. I was extremely annoyed when the Archdiocese of Detroit said that you could not receive communion if you didn’t believe solely in the marriage of man/woman.”

Francesca Ursino said, “I think it’s great. It’s about time. Pedophiles are not gay as some people think. They are fathers brothers uncles. … Good for your Pope Francis.”

Cheryll Long Ruley said, “It is not his place to judge another human being and he is just expressing so. It is not his place to damn anyone. He’s correct. Jesus loves us all and this pope is following that leadership.”

Others were not as supportive of the pope’s comments.

Carol Tomlin said, “Um, not so sure I agree with this concept, although very interesting coming from the pope. Does this mean that the church is rethinking what it has been historically teaching?

Sharon Switkowski-Sylvester said, “Jesus does love all but, this is not biblical! We are trying to change to be more like Jesus. I say love everyone, but this is sin.”